William A. O'Neill enlisted in the Air Force in September of 1950. He wanted to fight in the Korean War as a pilot. He was unable to train as a pilot, and instead trained to be an aerial gunner. The majority of his basic training was completed at...

Synopsis of oral history interview conducted by Eileen Hurst on November 22, 2004. Prior to enlisting in the U.S. Navy in early 1943, Joseph S. Kulmacz was employed at Pratt and Whitney in East Hartford, CT where he became familiar with working on...

Naval Air Station Combat Air Crew certificate for Naval Air Station, Banana River VPB2 OTU 3, Combat Air Crew Number 13G, certifies that Plane Captain J. S. Kulmacz and his crew are "well and truly qualified..." Also listed on the certificate are...

Interview with James P. Hurst conducted by Eileen Hurst. Hurst enlisted in the Air Force at the age of 17 with the hope of becoming a pilot. He attended basic training in Biloxi, Miss. and then later attended college-level training at UMASS...

Interview conducted by Sarah Lawson. Phillip Davidson joined the U.S. Navy while he was at boarding school in Massachusetts. He was only 16 years old and required his parent’s signature in order to join. He thought of the navy as a “great...

Interview conducted by Robert Mastroni. Louis Miklos was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Corps in October of 1941 before the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was sent to Fort Devens (Mass.) and then Dow Field (Me.) for basic training, which consisted...

Interview conducted by Mike Devin. Francis Long enlisted in the United States Navy in 1943. He went to Newport, RI for basic training, and then was transferred to Norfolk, VA, while his crew waited for their ship to be finished. Long describes...

Interview conducted by Lisa Pereira. George W. England joined the U.S. Navy in June of 1943 and attended basic training in Sampson, NY. After basic training he continued on to Memphis, TN to train at the aviation center and naval airport. After...

Interview conducted by Laura May Lachance and Benjamin Setelle. Jesse M. Harrison volunteered for the U.S. Air Force in 1942. He passed the required tests and attended flight school at Randolph Field, in San Antonio, TX. He aspired to be a...

Interview conducted by John Schuller. Floyd W. Smith enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force in early 1943, while in his first semester at college. He went to basic training in Miami Beach, Fla. where the barracks were in a large hotel. Smith was...

Interview conducted by John Ault. Samuel Beamon enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1965 just after he had finished technical school for mechanics. He wanted to work with aircraft, and found his best fit was with the Marines. He went to basic...

Interview conducted by Jim Lyko. William Bormolini joined the U.S. Army Air Corps during Christmas break in his first semester of college. He was called into active duty in May of 1943, and went to basic training in Miami Beach, Fl. He then went...

Interview conducted by Jim Lyko. Caleb Penniman enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force just after graduating high school in 1943. Since he was found to be color blind, he was unable to be a pilot, but was accepted to be part of a B-24 crew. He went...

Interview conducted by Jane Natoli. John C. Taylor enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1942 while he was a sophomore in college. He was activated in February of 1943, and sent to basic training in Atlantic City, NJ. He was then sent to...

Interview conducted by Eileen Hurst. Steven Stupak enlisted in the Army Air Corps shortly after Pearl Harbor. His Basic Training was at Jefferson Barracks in MO. After Basic, he was assigned to Bakersfield, CA for aircraft maintenance OJT.
He was...

Interview conducted by Eileen Hurst. Norman J. Tailon enlisted into the U.S. Navy in 1944. At the time he was living in Bristol, CT. He attended basic training in Sampson N.Y, and then later was transferred to Key West (FL) for sonar training. He...